The man accused of stealing an Oscar from Best Actress winner Frances McDormand entered a plea of not guilty in court on Wednesday.

Suspect Terry Bryant appeared behind glass in the Los Angeles courtroom in a blue jail jumpsuit when he entered his plea. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil agreed to release him without bail.

His attorney Daniel Brookman had argued that the previous bail amount of $20,000 was unnecessary, calling the Oscar situation a momentary aberration. He said Bryant has had no contact with law enforcement for six years and represented no threat to the community.

Brazil said she was concerned by Bryant's four prior felony convictions on theft-related charges and his past failures to appear in court, which prosecutors argued should keep the bail unchanged. But she agreed that several years of good behavior and the lack of a threat to the community justified Bryant's release.